November 2018 Update

November 16, 2018 in Info

Sorry I’ve been out of touch, but I have been busy writing the 26th book of the Haunted Series. It’s called Sideshow.

I went to bed last night knowing I was one chapter from being finished with my first draft. Naturally, I dreamed about Sideshow as my subconscious continued to work on finishing the book while I slept. I woke up early, too early, but it was either be entertained by a power-craving inner librarian or get up and write. I chose to write.

I sat, predawn, and stared as the cursor continued to blink on a white screen while I waited for the coffee to work on my caffeine-starved brain. Where do I go with this? I decided to read the last five chapters, and then Chapter Forty-five flowed out of me. The first draft of Sideshow is finished! Woo Hoo!

In Case You Didn't See...

October 26, 2018 in Book Release

For those who haven’t seen it, we released Book #25 of the Haunted Series on Monday October 22nd. Turn off the phone, grab that extra bag of Halloween candy you tucked away for yourself, and enjoy!

Daughter of Nyx #25 is out! New Haunted Series OMNIBUS!

October 22, 2018 in Book Release

Mia is more determined than ever to get her life in order. She’s seeing Baxter for cognitive behavioral therapy. No more accidental engagements, flirting with riffraff, and misunderstandings. Mia has turned over a new leaf. She’s determined to have a reasonably normal happy family life….

Hollow Days Coming Soon...

October 19, 2018 in Book Release, Info

Coming soon. Don’t you love those words? They are a vague way of saying hey, my book is coming, but I don’t know exactly when. But not today! Coming on Monday, October 22nd, I will be releasing my twenty-fifth Haunted Series novel A Daughter of Nyx. Because this is such a milestone, we at Ravens’ Rook have decided to combine the first three novels, The Hauntings of Cold Creek Hollow, Ghostly Attachments, and Sand Trap, into an omnibus for $6.99, for a limited time, starting Monday if not sooner. If you have peeps, who you know would love PEEPs, now is the perfect time for them to pick up a new addiction. Tell them, it’s a wonderful gift to give themselves. Just in time for the hollow days.

What character are you?

September 28, 2018 in Musings

I get asked frequently which character in the Haunted Series is most like me. I really can’t pin one down, but there are aspects of me in all of them. I draw from my experience, strengths, and insecurities to develop my characters. I also use my observations of how people react to create, hopefully, realistic scenes in a fictional world.

In The Hauntings of Cold Creek Hollow, I introduce you to Mia who is bitter at the way the town treats her; yet, she’s their handy person, dogsbody if you will. Her language is crude – according to Murphy, it’s from a parental lack of soap application. The evolution of Mia over 24, now 25, books is amazing. She goes from being a leaf in the wind to being the wind. But, occasionally, she still could do with a little bar of soap.

Stone fruit tree credit Sam Van AkenTedxManhattan (1).jpg

Trees

September 21, 2018 in Musings

I love trees. My editor is a tree hugger. I have pictures of her hugging a willow in Regents’ Park, London. Trees house and support insects and wildlife. They keep soil from eroding and, depending on the tree, protect us from wind, rain, snow, and excess sunlight. Stephen Murphy used many trees to make his home. He now plants, prunes, and nurtures them.

I’m inspired by trees. The sounds the wind makes going through them is comforting. The creaks and groans they make are unique and eerie. At Ravens’ Rook, we named the trees we planted. Ruler is the red maple in the front yard, and Old Timer is the ginkgo in the back garden. I have adopted a massive oak that I can see from my office window. I call him Harry. Why? He looks like a Harry. He is the tallest of the mighty trees east of my house. He has so much personality. Am I nuts to find more there than bark and leaves? Only a fellow tree lover could tell you for sure.

Rainy Bay Blog

September 07, 2018 in Info, Musings

It’s a rainy day here at the top of the mitt. My joints are creaking. I suspect they learned of my love of the sounds of squeaky door hinges and are trying to do one better, ouch. Rainy days have always been wonderful reading days – thunderstorms, not so much. There I am, focused on the book, and CRASH! My arteries are cleared of plaque and my tea is decorating the sofa.

Writing on a rainy day can be problematic. I can use it to create a dreary mood, but the muted lights make me drowsy. Napping on a rainy day is bliss times ten.

The Alexie Aaron Podcast #18 Alexie Explains it All

August 25, 2018 in Podcast

Hello all, Aaron the WebGuy here to let you know that our podcast was supposed to be around 20 mins or so, but it kind of ballooned up on us. I get Alexie talking about the entire Haunted Series, and before we knew it, 45 minutes had passed. So please get a coffee and settle in for a spoiler rich discussion about Alexie's work and maybe some news on upcoming projects. Thank you all for reading and listening and have a great one!